Computer Components

Knowledge about Computer Components. Information about choosing, the different types and Upgrading Computer Components.

Upgrading Your Video Card – Picking the Right Card

A video card may not seem like a major decision when ti comes to upgrading your system, but in actuality it is a huge part of how your system not only displays images but how it runs. If you are looking into upgrading your video card and are over whelmed by the choices, take a few things into consideration before you make that final decision. The actual upgrade of the video card is simple, with a screwdriver and a few minutes you can do the installation yourself. You remove the case cover and remove the old card by unscrewing it then gently releasing it from its slot and replace the new one in its place. The software comes complete with drivers that are easily installed from the CD and in many cases your operating system will pick up the drivers without needing the CD.

Understand Your Needs

Think about what you are using your computer for. If you are using it for basic functions such as Word and maybe Power point or surfing the internet, then you only need a basic video card. If you plan on using your computer for high resolution video or photo software or 3D gaming, you will have to spend a little more to get the results you are looking for.

Know Your Compatibility

You have to ensure that the video card you choose will fit into the system you are upgrading. If your system had integrated video, be sure there is an available expansion slot on the motherboard for the video card. In newer PC’s there should be an available PCI express slot available, older systems may have a regular PCI slit and both newer and older systems may have AGP slots. You may want to run that new game with all the bells and whistles and may even be willing to spend the money for that 512MB video card, but if your system will not run that type of card, you will have wasted your money. Check your motherboard documentation to ensure that the newer graphic cards are compatible before you spend a fortune.

Your monitor will have something to do with your decision on a video card. If you have a monitor that supports HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) then you should select a card that will support it in order to take full advantage of the display features.

Stick To Your Budget

Even if you want the best card on the market, always be sure to stick within your budget. Compare prices on Video Cards. There is a wide range in between pricing for the basic cards to the ones with the newest technology. Know how much you can afford before you walk into the computer store and stick to that number and try not to get carried away by the sales pitches or the units on display. If your monitor or your system won’t support the card, the images will not look the same at home as they did in the store models.

Tags: graphics card, picking the right video card, upgrading video card
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Laser vs Inkjet Printers

When it comes to printers there are so many choices it is overwhelming to most to decide what’s best for them. You can select printers that have so many different features that you can virtually print anything at home that a professional print shop could do. One of the most common questions when buying a printer is should I get a laser or an inkjet printer. This is really a personal choice; there are advantages to both as well as disadvantages. Below is some helpful information to help you determine which is right for you.

Cost

The cost of a laser printer will far exceed that of an inkjet printer. When it comes to ink, you will pay more to replace toners in the laser printers than with the inkjet ones, but the laser printers will last longer.

Speed

Speed is a factor that laser printers have over the inkjet competition. You can print out much more in less time with a laser printer than you can with a standard inkjet printer. This is something that is a great feature, but is it really needed?

Clarity and Resolution

When it comes to print resolution and clarity, the laser printer will always win. The inkjet printers on the market are getting close to catching up with the competition, but they will never have the same clarity as the laser printers. If you are not using your printer to print out professional high gloss documents or photos that need to be impeccable, there may be no need to pay the extra expense for a laser printer. Just printing out black and white or colored documents you will see little difference between the two printers and inkjets have come a long way and offer high resolution printing for photos and other documents.

Tags: inkjet printers, laser printers, laser vs inkjet printers
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How To Pick The Correct Ram for Your Computer

When selecting RAM for your system, you have to first understand what RAM is. Random Access Memory is computer storage, similar to your hard drive, it may be smaller, but it is much faster. The random means that your data will be available to you on a constant. There is no need to wait for the data to be located; it is always available and ready to be used.

There are a variety of different types of RAM. Your computer’s motherboard will be equipped to handle either one or possibly two different types, but you have to be sure you know what is compatible with your board before you buy new memory.

DDR or SDRAM is most likely what you will be shopping for. DDR is faster than SDRAM and has available speed options of DDR 1, DDR 2 and DDR 3.

So- Dimm is laptop memory and has all the same specifications as DDR desktop computer memory but comes in a smaller size to fit into laptops and net tops.

The faster the Mhz is on the memory, the faster your system will process data. You have to again look at your motherboards specifications and ensure it can handle the speed of the RAM. Higher speed RAM will work in systems that are not capable of running at that speed, it will just not get the full effect of the memory’s performance.

The size of the memory will also increase your systems performance. The more memory you have installed, the more data that can be stored for instant use and data processing times will greatly increase. You do have to be sure that the amount of memory you are installing in your system that it is capable of reading it. If you install 6GB of memory in a 32 bit system that is only capable of reading 4GB, then you have lost 2GB. The memory will still work; you just won’t get the full benefit of what you paid for.

So, when you are looking for RAM, consider what type of operating system you are using, 32 bit or 64 bit and the amount of RAM that your motherboard will be capable of reading before you waste your money on larger high speed RAM that is just wasted in your system.

If you are using your PC for gaming, you will most likely want to ensure you run a 64 bit operating system environment and that you install as much RAM as possible. The more memory you have installed on your system the better it will run, the faster it will perform and the less chance of lock up due to insufficient memory you will have.

A good idea is to bring your old RAM with you to ensure you get the right type and have your motherboard manual ready to examine your options for larger, faster pieces of RAM.

Tags: computer ram, pick correct ram, random access memory
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